Other stuff you should bring, volume 1

• Solio charger with all the tips (you’ll probably buy a cell phone here)
• digital camera plus extra memory cards
• thumb drive. I also have one that I can use to plug memory cards directly into a computer. Useful, plus saves camera battery life.
• LED headlamp with tons of extra batteries. Spend the money on an LED one, seriously.
• Scissors
• Duct tape
• Luggage locks
• Carabiners: so handy!
  
• Pocket knife or leatherman tool
  
• Pens and mechanical pencils, sharpies
• Rubber bands and paper clips (if you’re geeky about being organized like I am)
• address book
• some American postage. You will occasionally run into somebody traveling to the US who will carry letters for you.
• calendar
  
• double-sized fitted sheet (only place I’ve seen them for sale is the thrift piles, where they’re used. I am not jazzed about sleeping on used sheets, though I dig the 1970s patterns. PC issued us twin sheets when we arrived, but no fitted sheets.)
• Thermarest (not essential but is nice for site visits and travel. If you have it, bring the chair-insert thingie for extra seating.)
• Sleeping bag (also not essential but nice for travel. We use an old down comforter, which was great on our bed and for travel except when we went to different places for both site visits. But the PC-issued blankets would have been enough, probably.)
• Tent (PC will advise you to bring one, but it’s not necessary since enough people have them that you can borrow, and usually when you visit somebody you can crash on their floor or in their insaka. However, if you’re a backpacking enthusiast, bring it.)
• money belt, and please use it, will you? One of our friends got a huge ton of money stolen, and that will ruin your day.